Has anyone left nursing job due to COVID19 virus?

Nurses COVID

Updated:   Published

anyone-left-nursing-job-due-to-covid.jpg.b3dbe5951dd45136746c9b13feb53399.jpg

I am curious to find out if anyone has decided to leave their current job due to the risk of this virus? I work in the Emergency Department and we are now being asked to reuse PPE and to prepare for a surge of COVID 19 patients. This makes me sick to my stomach and concerned for my co workers, other patients along with the risk we bring home to our own families.

2 hours ago, cubby777 said:

What about applying for something different or a transfer? Phone nurse? I bet they are needed right now. Even home health might be better than in a hospital which is basically one big petri dish.

I repeat myself on here but I dialed back my bedside nursing due to family issues. This year, I even had to leave my PT school job to care for my mom. My hospital job is per diem but soon they'll be asking more. I will happily pitch in but someone else (from hospice) has to help my dad. Once I get a covid patient in hospital, I can't go back there.

1 Votes

I'm seriously considering it now that my hospital is forbidding us from wearing masks unless we’re caring directly for confirmed COVID patients.

13 Votes

I know of one nurse who quit her per diem job because she has small children. I am also per diem, and briefly considered quitting, but despite being something between a realist and a pessimist, I decided not to. I have a husband and small kids, but we're all pretty healthy. A lot of the nurses I work with are older (and have older less healthy spouses), and I feel some sense of responsibility to stick around.

I might even pick up some extra shifts if things take an unfortunate turn. So far, we've only had one confirmed case at my hospital and the census is very low.

I'm also moody and change my mind a lot, so I have no idea how I'll feel next week.

10 Votes

For whatever it's worth, I think quitting to protect your loved ones can be just as brave as staying to protect patients. Best of luck.

36 Votes

@DannyBoy8 It sucks if you think about it too because the hospital is not testing us to see if we are positive and we are working with extremely immunocompromised patients and exposing them to the virus. It is so sad. I agree with quitting being just as brave as staying to protect patients if I think about the aforementioned statement as well.

6 Votes

As a prn Nurse in Ambulatory Surgery no work, closed for elective surgery but when our facility is reconfigured for covid19 I bet they will be happy to take me back without benefits let alone pto. Have lymphoma in remission and am 60 yo. I fear a mandatory recall. Is this possible?

2 Votes
On 3/25/2020 at 10:09 PM, kailaniRN said:

As a PRN Nurse in Ambulatory Surgery no work, closed for elective surgery but when our facility is reconfigured for covid19 I bet they will be happy to take me back without benefits let alone pto. Have lymphoma in remission and am 60 yo. I fear a mandatory recall. Is this possible?

Nobody can physically force you to do anything. You're not in the military and we aren't enslaved to the state.

Could there be subsequent repercussions in some sort of 'martial law to recall nurses' scenario; IDK, I'm not a lawyer.

You could also take a nurse-from-home job - triaging phone calls, etc. This would theoretically cover you in this doomsday nurse draft scenario that you're worried about.

9 Votes
Specializes in Emergency Room.
On 3/25/2020 at 9:56 PM, DannyBoy8 said:

For whatever it's worth, I think quitting to protect your loved ones can be just as brave as staying to protect patients. Best of luck.

You cannot even imagine how much I needed to hear this right now! I am also at high risk of com applications and have been struggling with what to do. I ultimately decided to take a leave of absence and was fortunate enough to be able to use FMLA so my job is protected....for now. I had so much anxiety that I could of handle it. We have no PPE, and the risk of getting sick was too great. Even more stressful, I am the only income for my family. I have a husband who has been caring for our young children while I work. So now I am on leave with only a few weeks paid. It buys me time, though, to think about what to do. I cannot help but feel like a coward in some respects, but I never agreed to fight a fire with a sprinkler. There are always calculated risks that come with our job, it I could not accept what I was being asked to do with improper gear. My family is in a worse situation if I get sick and/or die. I think each and every one of us has to make a decision that is right for us, and it will not be the same for anyone else. No matter what, we have to support each other and not be judgemental. And it truly is brave no matter what decision you make. In order for me to make my decision, I had to be willing to accept huge financial risk. But for me, I know that I have to place my family first.

21 Votes
Specializes in ED, LTACH, Home care, Urgent Care.
9 hours ago, waufah said:

My brother a nurse in Boston just quit his job due to lack of PPE. He has two young kids and does not want to put them at risk. We both agree that even Florence would turn in her grave if she saw the conditions we are expected to work in.

I have two young kids that I worry about as well. Cases in my state have kids as young as 6 months with this virus. I would hate to unknowingly bring this home to my kids. At such a crossroad right now.

5 hours ago, otgd8 said:

I am considering it. My job is giving raises depending on the results of annual evaluations (up to 4%).

That's nice but I would really rather have temporary health insurance given to me from the hospital since I am per diem and don't qualify instead of paying $200-$300 a month for health insurance. I keep teetering between staying and leaving. It's horrible. =(

Its horrible to even have to debate this. I love my job but do not love the conditions I have been asked to work in. Good luck in whatever decision you make and you do what is best for you.

1 Votes
Specializes in ED, LTACH, Home care, Urgent Care.
1 hour ago, PeachyERNurse said:

I'm seriously considering it now that my hospital is forbidding us from wearing masks unless we’re caring directly for confirmed COVID patients.

That is obsurd! How in the world would you know they are positive when many times they have no symptoms while contagious and when there are not enough tests being done?! Its craziness and not exactly what I signed up for. I'm sorry you have to even debate what to do ?

1 hour ago, Sour Lemon said:

I know of one nurse who quit her per diem job because she has small children. I am also per diem, and briefly considered quitting, but despite being something between a realist and a pessimist, I decided not to. I have a husband and small kids, but we're all pretty healthy. A lot of the nurses I work with are older (and have older less healthy spouses), and I feel some sense of responsibility to stick around.

I might even pick up some extra shifts if things take an unfortunate turn. So far, we've only had one confirmed case at my hospital and the census is very low.

I'm also moody and change my mind a lot, so I have no idea how I'll feel next week.

Pretty much depends on how your shift goes and day by day how this virus pans out and the response of your care system .

3 Votes
Specializes in ED, LTACH, Home care, Urgent Care.
14 minutes ago, MeganMN said:

You cannot even imagine how much I needed to hear this right now! I am also at high risk of com applications and have been struggling with what to do. I ultimately decided to take a leave of absence and was fortunate enough to be able to use FMLA so my job is protected....for now. I had so much anxiety that I could of handle it. We have no PPE, and the risk of getting sick was too great. Even more stressful, I am the only income for my family. I have a husband who has been caring for our young children while I work. So now I am on leave with only a few weeks paid. It buys me time, though, to think about what to do. I cannot help but feel like a coward in some respects, but I never agreed to fight a fire with a sprinkler. There are always calculated risks that come with our job, it I could not accept what I was being asked to do with improper gear. My family is in a worse situation if I get sick and/or die. I think each and every one of us has to make a decision that is right for us, and it will not be the same for anyone else. No matter what, we have to support each other and not be judgemental. And it truly is brave no matter what decision you make. In order for me to make my decision, I had to be willing to accept huge financial risk. But for me, I know that I have to place my family first.

I understand. You feel so much guilt leaving your co workers behind but really you need to make sure you are there to take care of your family. As nurses we are dispensable and if we leave someone else will easily take our place. Definitely not the case for our own families. Take care of you and I wish you the best of luck with whatever decision you make.

8 Votes

All that is happening on my unit is wipe downs with bleach wipes every so many hours. Pts can come up to the unit with suspected corona symptoms and nothing gets done about it until days later. This type of behavior is the norm though. It has been going on long before COVID so why would COVID change anything. We all sit apart from each other for report but everyone still piles up in the medication room together and I don't see anyone wiping the machine down. I do though. I am guessing someone is either hiding all of the mask or stole them because staff can't find any. The gloves we use are very cheap. When I put them on they tear. God help me, I pray, wash my hands and hope for the best. I will save my money and plot my exit at some time later down the road but no, it isn't because of COVID, it is because of other stuff.

5 Votes
+ Add a Comment